Independent report
A reinspection of family reunion applications September – October 2022
This inspection examined the Home Office’s management of family reunion applications between 1 January 2022 and 30 September 2022, focusing on progress relating to implementation of recommendations two, three and four from ICIBI’s ‘An inspection of family reunion applications (June – December 2019)’.
Documents
Details
Inspectors undertook the following activities:
- reviewed publicly available information about family reunion
- held a familiarisation call with the RRRS team on 22 September 2022
- held a familiarisation call with representatives from the Policy Team, Asylum and Protection Unit and the Home Office’s Performance, Reporting and Analysis Unit (PRAU) on 28 September 2022
- formally notified the Home Office of the inspection on 30 September 2022, and submitted a request for evidence
- met with a range of stakeholders, including non-governmental organisations and legal representatives
- received and analysed 70 pieces of evidence
- attended Home Office sites in Croydon, conducting 19 interviews with staff and teams involved both directly and indirectly with family reunion work, and its transition from Sheffield to Croydon
- observed administrative and workflow functions
- observed decision-making and casework functions
- conducted a dip sample of 15 family reunion applications
- on 21 October 2022, held a feedback session, sharing initial thoughts and indicative findings from the onsite phase of the inspection, with senior leaders from the RRRS team